Shay Mace
The title begs the central question of Daniel Cremin’s life and career – a question that has been put to him in many forms over the years, and he now seeks the platform to explain. Magic is no hobby or crutch for Daniel, it is deliverance. He is as deft a magician as he is a storyteller, in this interactive magic play that sees him wear his heart on his sleeve, while also pulling several things from said sleeve. Audiences who love magic, and perhaps even those who are deferent, will adore this sentimental, smart, and refined soul-searching play, packed with plenty of light laughs along the way.
Cremin weaves together both literal and figurative threads from his upbringing in Ireland into the piece – resonant fragments surrounding childhood bullies and being picked last in sports break waves as they are meshed with cleverly related magical moments. It’s made clear to us from the beginning that Cremin espouses the power of magic beyond ‘tricks’, hence my deployment of language there, and I have to say, I don’t hesitate to agree with him after spending an hour in his company.
These magical moments do not feel on the exterior on the piece, but instead put together an interrogation of form as much as an interrogation of Daniel’s informed personal performance philosophies. As Cremin explains his relationship to mentalism, and the courage and fortitude it has offered as not just a format but a life skill, it’s hard not to sink into the convincing mix of depth, levity and candour that Cremin puts together.
What shines above all is Cremin’s skill, dexterity, and polymathic ability to jump from empathetic story moments into fourth-wall busting interactive stints engaging heavily with the audience. It is not a magic show in the traditional sense, neither is it entirely a play, but rather a sensitive and thoughtful unpacking of how the passions in our lives can help us take control of the path ahead, and who helps you get there along the way, consciously through acts of nurture, and unconsciously through moments of embarrassment.
A peak behind the curtain is routinely offered, sometimes snatched away, in that manner that only a poised magician could do so. Within the bounds of the presentation, we are asked to consider how much being tricked truly tricks us, or whether we can look both within and beyond the craft to find truth and power. As Cremin takes us through his inspirations, particularly Paul Daniels, there’s a bountiful sense of purpose that develops in the ability to create illusion, and fervour found in the process of making art out of it. I did not, and still perhaps cannot fully fathom, how a show about magic could be this salient, grounded, and absorbing. Forgive my preconceptions, and if you are someone not often incensed by magic you may well end up forgiving yours too.
There’s every end of the magical spectrum explored in the piece, from visual work through to an exploration of the mind and how it can be interpreted. With faultless execution, Cremin finds pathos where necessary, but is never afraid to bail out of the depths and enjoy a light moment with the audience. This unravels at its finest in the piece’s closing moments, where Cremin’s first interactions with professional magic truly intertwine with his journey to becoming the person he is now, and left mouths agape. It’s a staunch ending to a fantastic hour.
As a direct address piece, WHY MAGIC? is remarkably informal, pleasant, and conspicuous. A riveting personal tale that boasts Cremin’s talents in tandem with his personable, infectious energy. It is a piece that has already been lauded as among some of the best storytelling on offer at Dundee Fringe this year, and for infinitely solid reasons.
Recommended Drink: Pair WHY MAGIC? with with a sharp Black Magic Cocktail.
Performances of WHY MAGIC? have now concluded at Dundee Fringe 2026.
Ellen Leslie
Salvador Kent
